KISS likes what it sees in Kenny Guiton

Ohio State quarterback Kenny Guiton throws a pass during a game against California in September. Guiton's speed and athleticism make him a welcomed addition to the KISS roster.

Ohio State quarterback Kenny Guiton throws a pass during a game against California in September. Guiton's speed and athleticism make him a welcomed addition to the KISS roster. (Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)

Everett Cook

Rookie Kenny Guiton's speed and versatility make him big asset in red-zone situations for the L.A. KISS

This is going to be a busy off-season for the KISS.

Before Saturday's game against the San Antonio Talons, the team was 3-13 in its inaugural Arena Football League campaign, being outscored by an average of 18 points a game. With a full off-season ahead, expect the KISS roster to look much different by the beginning of the 2015 season.

Still, the KISS will build around several players on the 2014 team. Defensive end Beau Bell was on pace to set the single-season sack record before he was injured two games ago, and wide receiver Donovan Morgan was third in the league with 126 receptions before Saturday's game.

The player the KISS front office seemed to be most excited about, though, is one who didn't play in the team's first 11 games and has yet to start an AFL game.

That player is backup quarterback Kenny Guiton, a rookie who started only two games at Ohio State.

“Kenny Guiton is the type of guy you need because he's versatile,” co-owner Brett Bouchy said in a phone interview last week. “I think Guiton will definitely be back, and he's the type of guy we're going to try to build around for the future.”

In the AFL, quarterbacks need a different skill set than they do in the outdoor game. They generally have between two and three seconds to throw the ball, so a quick release and the ability to scramble is at a premium.

That's why the team is excited about Guiton — he's one of the fastest players on the roster and has a tight release when throwing the ball. This season, the KISS has used Guiton mostly in red-zone situations, trying to exploit his speed and athleticism. He has rushed for two touchdowns and thrown for five.

It's early in Guiton's career, but Bouchy predicts bright things for his possible quarterback of the future.

“A guy like Kenny Guiton, who comes and plays for us for three or four years, he'll get his NFL shot at 27 and be a completely different quarterback,” Bouchy said.